Elf on the Shelf

There is Great Controversy among some of my mom friends about the Elf on the Shelf.

I think I barely missed the phenomenon -- they were around when sozlet was littler but I didn't know about the whole mythology around them and she wasn't that interested and it never went anywhere.

But evidently most kids under (? 10?) REALLY REALLY WANT one and there are warring factions of moms (warring factions again, sigh) who either do all kinds of amazing mom-stuff with the Elves or who find the Elves evil and refuse to have anything to do with them.

And then some of us are on the sidelines going "huh?"

I've pieced together some of the basics -- this Elf has a book and there's something about reporting back to Santa if the kid is naughty and there's something about hiding it and causing it to be mischievous (drawing mustaches on photos, that sort of thing).

Do you have an Elf on the Shelf? Know about it? Any opinions?



(I have a Christmas ornament circa 1973 or so that looks just like it.)